Dakota's Manierski sets table for Cougars hitters

Carli Snyder may be the show on the volleyball court for Dakota, but Megan Manierski is the one running it.

“She makes me look good,” Snyder said. “She’s one of the best setters in the state. I don’t want to hit off anyone else.”

And this is coming from an outside hitter who competes with the USA Junior Olympic team and has already verbally committed to play at the University of Florida.

“She’s an awesome setter because she knows who to set and when,” said Snyder, a junior. “She’s not just setting me because she thinks I’m going to get a kill. She has full confidence in everybody.

Advertisement

“She sees where the blocks are and that’s a really rare thing to find in a setter that started playing club kind of late,” Snyder added. “To have those natural skills to see where the blocks are coming is amazing.”

Manierski admittedly was nervous when Snyder came back from the tournament.

“Her setter was tops in the nation,” Manierski said. “It’s a big role to fill. I’m so hard on myself, but she’s always telling him I’m doing fine and the sets are perfect. She’s always the one motivating me. She never tells me I’m doing anything wrong. She’s a great player to play with. I’m so lucky to have her.”

Manierski split time on varsity last season as a sophomore with senior Danielle Spicuzzi. Spicuzzi played back row and was subbed in for by Manierski to play front row.

“(Spicuzzi) was a very strong presence, but she’s filled those shoes perfectly,” Snyder said. “She’s the leader out there.”

“She’s gotten so good,” senior outside hitter Megan Downey said. “She’s so much smarter. She moves the ball around and sees where the blocks are at and she knows when to dump. Her defensive play compared to last year is unbelievable, she would not be getting the balls up last year she is this year.

“Each game and each practice she gets smarter about the game,” Downey continued. “She’s a leader on the court.”

Manierski has developed into her role this season just like Dakota coach Tracie Ferguson had hoped.

“A good setter usually takes three to four years to develop,” Ferguson said. “She wants to be the best setter out there. She’s willing to do what it takes. She’s just making us better. She’s very confident.

“Our hitters do a great job with her,” Ferguson added. “She wants it to work and wants to do whatever it takes to make it work. I see that in practice, she’ll talk to the hitters and ask why it’s not working, if she has to go quicker or lower. She’s always trying to figure out what’s best for the hitters. They’re all different, five different people and it’s coming off the pass. It’s not an easy job.”

At 5-foot-11, Manierski is a definite presence at the net and has developed into a nice defensive player in the back row.

But it’s her ability to read blocking schemes that the junior is most proud of.

“I know what they all like,” Manierski said of the hitters she sets. “They’re all different with where they want it. That’s the one thing about being a team, you learn about each others’ likes and dislikes. That’s what comes with being a setter, you learn about everyone and adjust to each person.

“It’s hard, but after a while it came to me,” Manierski added. “You don’t have that much time to think. I kind of see it out of the corner of my eye or I kind of just go with a gut feeling.”

In Dakota’s state quarterfinal match on Tuesday against Birmingham Seaholm, Manierski went with her gut and set Snyder, who came up with the game-winning kill.

“I saw her open and I wanted to end it big,” Manierski said after the match. “It was not planned. I went with my gut. At that point there is nothing to think about. I had a good feeling about it. It wasn’t the greatest set, but I knew she could deal with it.”

Manierski will now try to lead the Cougars one more step closer to a state title and that comes with a win over Northville on Friday in a Class A semifinal match.

Northville’s setter Rebecca Martin will play volleyball next season at Georgia Tech.

“I’m more excited than anything,” Manierski said. “The nerves aren’t getting me. Someone told me to turn nerves into positive energy. That’s what I try and do, let things play out on the court and don’t worry.”

Those are just the kind of words Ferguson likes to here.

“She’s a really smart girl and it’s clicking right now for her,” Ferguson said.